Getting started with Skills
Skills let you teach Hiver AI how your team handles a specific request, and then run that process automatically on matching conversations in a Shared Inbox.
With Skills, you can:
- Turn a repeatable process into steps Hiver AI runs on every matching conversation.
- Look up answers from your Knowledge Hub before replying.
- Require a member to approve an action before it happens.
- Update records in a connected app like HubSpot as part of handling a conversation.
This article explains how to create a Skill, test it, and enable it on a Shared Inbox.
Before you begin
Make sure you have admin access in Hiver.
Creating a Skill
1. Go to Admin Panel → Hiver AI, click Explore under Skills.
2. Click Create Skill.
3. Describe what you want the Skill to do, then click Generate Skill. You can also start from one of the suggested examples.
4. Answer the questions Hiver asks to fill in the details, and click Confirm for each. For example, it may ask which Shared Inbox the Skill runs on, or who to assign a conversation to.
5. Review the draft, then click Apply.
6. A Skill has two parts you can edit before it goes live:
- Trigger: What starts the Skill.
- Steps: What the Skill does in response.
Available actions
To add an action for the Skill, click for actions, then choose one from the list.
Action | What it does |
| Add a tag | Applies a tag. |
| Remove a tag | Removes a tag. |
| Note | Adds an internal note. |
| Assign | Assigns the conversation to a member. |
| Search Knowledge Hub | Looks up your configured knowledge sources to inform the next step. |
| Condition | Chooses which path the Skill takes. |
| Reply | Composes and sends a reply. |
| Set status | Changes the conversation status. |
| Make an API call | Calls an external system over the web. |
| HubSpot | Syncs customer, company, and ticket data with Hiver. |
| End | Stops the Skill for the conversation. |
Testing a Skill
To evaluate a Skill on a conversation, go to Evaluation and choose an option:
- A recent conversation from your Shared Inbox
- A conversation Hiver generates for you
- An email you write yourself
Hiver shows what the Skill decided. If an action needs approval, the run pauses so you can approve or edit it first.
Enabling a Skill
1. Click Enable.
2. Name the Skill and select the Shared Inboxes it should run on, then click Confirm.
3. Review the checks and validations, then click Enable.
Your Skill is now live and runs on new conversations in the Shared Inboxes you selected.
Managing Skills
After a Skill is live, you can manage it at any time:
- Pause: Click Pause to stop the Skill from running, then enable it again whenever you're ready.
- Edit: Click the settings icon to rename the Skill or change which Shared Inboxes it runs on.
- Delete: Hover over the Skill, click the delete icon, and confirm.
FAQs
When should I use a Skill instead of an Automation?
Automations follow fixed rules, where a set condition always leads to the same action. Use a Skill when the task needs judgment instead, like reading what a customer wants, deciding between paths, or drafting a reply.
Which apps can a Skill connect to?
A Skill connects to HubSpot natively. For any other app, use the Make an API call action.
Does a Skill work on channels other than email?
No. Skills run only on email conversations in a Shared Inbox.
Can I run a Skill manually on a conversation?
No. A Skill runs automatically whenever a new conversation matches its trigger.
What happens to later replies in the same conversation?
Once a conversation matches a Skill, every later reply on that thread stays with the same Skill.
Next steps